


Hello, Love

by BytheSea (ye_old_cactus)



Category: Dragon Age II
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Domestic Fluff, Established Relationship, M/M, anders misses hawke and hawke sends him letters, idk how to tag this im srry
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-01 21:13:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,437
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14529297
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ye_old_cactus/pseuds/BytheSea
Summary: He's definitely not a housewife, even when he's alone because Hawke took off to Skyhold to help The Inquisitor... or so Anders tries to tell himself. But when he's used to have Hawke and Cuddlesboy around him all the time and now finds himself alone-ish, maybe the whole domesticity is not so bad.





	Hello, Love

**Author's Note:**

> idk why but i suddenly remembered that part in inquisition where you can give the seeker the continuation of a smutty book that Varric wrote and ñiefnlwedjewqdn the day before i had this epiphany-like dream about handers and letters.... 
> 
> ALSO I NAMED HAWKE'S MABARI CUDDLESBOY and i regret noTHING
> 
> so have this, my first handers fic and all :*

A housewife, Anders became a damn housewife.

There’s a part of him that still can’t quite believe it, so he always ends up reminding himself that he’s not a housewife but a fugitive, just hiding from whoever wants to take him away from his beloved, or worse… take his beloved away with him, but as he sweeps the rest of the herbs he dropped on the floor while making a healing potion, and waits for their clothes to dry, it’s hard to ignore the little voice in his head mocking him about becoming a housewife.

The worst part about it is that he’s no ordinary housewife, he’s one waiting for his husband to come back from war. Talk about clichés.

* * *

_Hello, Love._

_I arrived at Skyhold today. It reminds me a little bit of Kirkwall, the big walls anyway. The air and the people are completely different. I haven’t breathed this clean air since I left Lothering or since that time we found that clearing in the middle of the woods where I put flowers in your hair and a halla kept us company during the day._

_The rumors were right, THE_ _inquisitor is an elf and a mage one to boot. I like him a lot, he’s quirky and naïve. I was surprised when he didn’t seem concerned about me being an apostate, you could see it in his eyes that he’s never suffered what we’ve gone through._

_Varric is of course here too, acting like some sort of ambassador between me and the inquisitor, and a shield from Seeker Pentaghast. She’s scary and not like someone I’d like on my bad side._

_We’re going to look for Stroud… at least that’s the plan, but you know how plans and Hawke usually go… we’ll probably end up fighting an archdemon. I’ll send you some scales… or maybe I'll go rescue my love in my new pet archdemon._

_I almost forget, the inquisitor asked about you, why you weren’t here with me (He mentioned something about Varric telling him we are inseparable), I had to explain to him that I don’t want you getting involved with Corypheus ever again and when he asked how you were, well—I got a little too heated. I don’t think he’ll ask again._

_I wish you could be here, but I know better than that. I miss you and I love you._

_Yours, Garrett._

_PS: Leliana is lending me one of her birds to send you this with the condition that it returns with all its feathers so… Say Hi to Cuddlesboy for me!_

* * *

It’s only been a week since Hawke left and it’s also been the most time they’d been separated. Saying he’s anxious about it is putting it mildly, he’s more scared than anything, even more because before he left, they had an argument about Hawke getting involved, they’d gone to great lengths to keep themselves hidden, with only Aveline and Varric knowing their whereabouts just to have Varric involving Hawke in The Inquisition.

When Hawke told him about the letter, he was already mentally making a list of all the things they’d need for the travel, until Hawke told him he was going alone, news that he didn’t take so well.

Varric had given him three days to reply to him, but Anders saw Hawke replying immediately, fully aware of what he had decided and at that moment he 100% backed him up, until Hawke dropped the news.

The only consolation was that he wasn’t going to leave immediately, they still had to decided where Anders was going to stay while Hawke was in Skyhold but that didn’t make it any easier, and the fact that Hawke was using his name and Champion of Kirkwall title to find him a safe place, wasn’t either.

It wasn’t until they were in Ferelden, under the protection of King Alistair and their coming separation that Hawke told him why he didn’t want Anders coming with him. He felt bad instantly, not only for being unreasonable but because after what Hawke had done for him in the past, it was obvious he was deciding such a thing for him, too.

Corypheus and his dammed brainwashed Wardens. He’d do anything for Hawke but if going with him meant endangering himself to the same fate as the Wardens… he was too selfish, too used to his life with Hawke, too used to his love, he couldn’t even bear the thought of not being with Hawke.

Falling for The Calling… he didn’t know if he’d be able to resist it and they didn’t want to find out, so he accepted Hawke’s condition of him staying behind, but Anders had put some conditions on his own and Hawke was fulfilling them, sending him letters every time he could.

And so, Anders became a housewife, taking care of an actual house and a dog and he should probably get a cat.

* * *

_Hello, Love._

_I just came back from Crestwood, I decided we shouldn’t go there, not to the current Major-less Crestwood, or the old Crestwood that the Major flooded to keep the darkspawn out… oh did I say he drowned a lot of people “tainted”? Crazy._

_We got a lot done and by a lot, I mean close to absolutely nothing. Well we did find Stroud so that’s something. Apparently, the Wardens have been hearing The Calling, all of them… and, I’m scared, love. For you. I mean, I already knew and I’m sure you did, too, but this, it just feels like too much for me to handle. I want to be with you so bad._

_I find myself thinking of you every single second of my day and you’re in every dream at night… which is hard because I sleep with a lot of refugees. I might be the “Champion of Kirkwall” but I still like to sleep among my peers, or maybe I’m trying to feel less alone. Who knows._

_We’re going to the Western Approach and I’m already dreading putting my armor on, even if I don’t know when we are going, but heat and metal, no thanks._

_In other—more light news, the inquisitor has this freakishly tall Qunari as his companion, you imagine my surprise after my history with them, but that’s not even half of it. I just saw them making out by this little bar they have here. He was handsy, the Qunari… and I mean if we make a weird pair, imagine a huge ass bull with this tiny Elf. Yeah._

_Please be safe. I miss you and I love you so much._

_Yours, Garrett._

_PS: Sending you some stuff from Skyhold, and a manuscript from one of Varric’s short stories. He won’t let me read it, but he said it was especially for you, and, believe it or not, the inquisitor sent some snacks for Cuddlesboy, he says the only Mabaries he sees are the ones that attack him. That was sad._

* * *

It’s been a month since Hawke left.

The days are getting longer, and the nights aren’t and he’s sleeping less and less, waiting for a damn bird to bring news about Hawke. He knows overthinking won’t help him, but he’s not used to this, not used to be the one waiting for something to be done.

Back in Kirkwall, he was in all of Hawke’s missions, it didn’t matter if they were looking for a particularly weird herb or fighting a fucking dragon, they were always side by side and even when they had to face Corypheus, when none of them knew what they were dealing with, when Hawke had the chance to send him home and call for Merrill, he didn’t do it, they stayed together, until they defeated him.

They’d gone through Deep Roads, Qunari, Crazy Templar, a damn explosion together, just to be torn apart from each other because Anders had nightmares—and even when he’s here, it just feels like another level of nightmare. One he can’t wake up from.

His days are monotonous and colorless, he spends them looking for herbs and making new potions to help the little town near their place. there are always two or three guards around, making sure he’s safe. He doesn’t know what Hawke told Alistair or what Alistair tells his guards but at least he’s glad to know there’s someone looking out for him, keeping him safe so he can reunite with Hawke.

It’s actually a bit laughable. The less he needs is people protecting him and he’s pretty sure that in case of an emergency, he’ll probably end up saving the guards, but if this keeps Hawke with peace of mind, he’ll play the damsel in distress, even if he’s more the bad dragon.

There’s only one thing he can’t shake off his mind. Varric’s damn manuscript. It’s a shame it’s not a book he can put next to the collection of books he’s sent them, but he’s also glad it’s not a book.

It’s like a spin-off of his most famous book, The Tales of the Champion of Kirkwall. But this one isn’t as focused on Hawke as it is on both of them. It’s smutty and not only that but it’s pretty _accurate._ There’s no way in hell Varric should know about that, but then he remembers Hawke mentioning a bar in Skyhold and he can guess how Varric got that information.

Hawke might not be a light weight, but when you manage to get him drunk, he’d answer to everything you ask him and then you can’t shut him up.

* * *

_Hello, Love._

_I know it’s been a while. The inquisitor has a lot on his plate and it took him a while to make the time for us to go to The Western Approach. I was right about worrying about getting hot in my armor. And not in the good way._

_Going there was then again, a futile fight. We got a lot of information, more than what we expected to have and, for once, I’m glad you’re not here with me. I can’t even fully explain what Corypheus is doing to the Wardens, but he somehow got a Venatori Magister and a Warden-Commander involved. It took us more to travel there than what it took us to fight them, before the Magister escaped, anyway._

_I’m tired, love. I know it’s only been a short time since we left Kirkwall but being on the run is what I know now, staying here like a sitting duck is not what I expected of the inquisition. At least I think Stroud is happy to be back in the game, but I just want to be back… in bed… with you._

_The inquisitor has been taking Varric to all the missions he has with me, I think he’s doing it to make me feel welcomed but seeing Varric makes me think about you (please don’t ever mention this) so, while it is a bit of a relief, it makes me miss the old times with Aveline, Varric and you by my side. It makes me miss Kirkwall. It makes me miss you._

_He also takes the Qunari with him to almost all the missions he doesn’t take Seeker Pentaghast and I’m starting to think there’s more to them than just a quick uhm… distraction._

_I hope I’ll be able to write more often and not only when something big happens, it just that the more I write, the more I want to be back in your arms._

_I miss you and I love you._

_Yours, Garrett._

_PS: Please give Cuddlesboy lots of smooches, it seems the inquisition isn’t big on animals they can’t mount, I haven’t seen a single Mabari around, and as always, gifts from Skyhold and another manuscript. What are you two hiding?_

* * *

Varric and his fucking manuscripts. He better not make this into a book, even if he changes their names. He’ll murder him, he doesn’t care if he has to battle Corypheus himself, or so he thinks as he rereads the first one to continue with the second.

Hawke’s been gone for a month and a half now, and after all the time they used to spend together with nothing better to do but find _alternative ways_ to entertain themselves, who can blame him when Varric’s manuscripts replace the fantasies and memories in his head, plus isn’t that like a compliment to the writer, and it’s not like he’ll tell someone else.

His days are getting better, but only because he’s forced himself to a Hawke-less routine. He wakes up, cleans himself, says hi to whoever is “guarding” him, goes to the woods to pick some herbs, goes back to their shack to make some potions and the like and then goes into town to sell them. He takes Cuddlesboy with him every time, the kids in town love him and it makes Anders happy because no one got as much love as him as their old Mabari. Hawke’s got a lot of love to give.

The people in town have grown used to him already. There’s a rumor spreading around that he’s King Alistair’s lover and that’s probably while they’re so nice to him, but he’ll take what he can get, besides when Hawke comes back—which he will, they’ll see it’s not what they think.

So, he’s learning to get used to the new situation, one day at a time and for the most part is good, except when is not. And it’s basically him the one who makes it _not_ good, so he can’t even complain. His days here, as much as he resists it, are way better than what he makes of… but there’s this part of him that _knows_ this peaceful place will be left behind, like all the other places they'd been in.

He doesn’t want to get used to the kind people, to the fresh air, to the security it provides, he doesn’t want to go away. He wants to stay here… with Hawke and Cuddlesboy and get a cat, definitely that.

He’s just… springing roots.

* * *

_Hello, Love._

_It’s been a while, again… but at least I’m going back home in a few more days._

_No gifts this time. Sorry._

_Hawke._

* * *

Something is wrong. Something is really, really wrong.

He paces around their shack, there’s not much room to do so but he can’t help it, Cuddlesboy is laying on their bed with his snout on his crossed paws, whining once in a while, looking at Anders walking from once side to the other.

He sits next to the dog, petting his head unconsciously, until Cuddlesboy licks his hand, it almost seems reassuring. He got Hawke’s letter about three days ago. He can’t remember if he ate, if he went out, if he cleaned himself, if he did something else besides worrying.

Cuddlesboy jumps out of bed suddenly, he wags his tail happily and barks to the air, now running and hopping around, Anders stares at him, the dog looks unexpectedly blurry, but only because he’s been crying and didn’t notice.

He should be happy that Hawke is coming back, he’s sure a lot of soldiers didn’t, but his letter leaves him with an empty feeling on his chest, his stomach is gurgling loudly, he doesn’t know if it’s because he didn’t eat, hasn’t eaten… or because of the situation.

“Come one, boy,” he says in between sobs, “come on, stop.”

He doesn’t stop, instead he throws himself at Anders on bed and licks his face at the same time they hear the door creak. He’s about to give a piece of his mind to one of the fucking guards that in the last three days have come to “ask for water” just to see how he’s doing, when the door opens completely and there… barely fitting in the doorframe is Hawke.

“Hey,” he says with a lopsided smile, Anders thinks he’s definitely dreaming, because this Hawke looks bad… there are bags under his eyes, his hair is greasy, he’s full of blue and purple bruises, there are a few cuts and scratches all over his body, or what he can see in in between the bruises and clothes and still… he looks beautiful. A dream.

“Garrett,” he all but screams, throwing himself in Hawke’s arms.

“Hello, love,” he replies and Anders cries because this is real, _he_ is real.

He can’t help but kiss Hawke, although he stinks like druffalo and mud, but Anders doesn’t care, Hawke is here, and he is alright.

They kiss for what feels ages but it’s still not enough. He wants to kiss him more, to be closer to Hawke, to hug him and kiss him and pin him to their bed and ride him like the druffalo he stinks of… there’s a lot of things he wants to do, all at once but more than everything, he wants to give Hawke space, to gather himself. 

He untangles himself from Hawke, only to have Cuddlesboy push them together as he runs around them.

They fall to the hard floor laughing and laughing and laughing, in between sobs. None of them have said anything more but when you’ve been with a person for so long, feelings and sensations and conversations are something you don’t need to have through words, a kiss, a look, a touch is more than enough… but they eventually do talk.

They’re naked in bed, with Cuddlesboy now sleeping peacefully at their feet on the bed and then they talk and cry and comfort each other. Anders can’t believe what happened to Stroud, can’t believe the bases in which The Inquisitor decided to save Hawke’s life.

* * *

The Inquisitor had talked to Hawke after they went back to Skyhold, he’d told him that Hawke needed to go back to Anders, to Cuddlesboy, to his life. He’d gotten mad at that time, because Stroud deserved as much as him but now that they’re here together, he can’t find himself to be something more than happy.

He kisses Anders’ tears away when he tells him, when he explains what he saw on The Fade, the embodiment of his fears, the past of The Inquisitor, the story behind Corypheus and when they’re tired and exhausted of crying and talking and love-making, they sleep.

* * *

Anders wakes up first, he grabs a fresh clean blanket and wrapping it around his shoulders, he makes himself a cup of tea, he gives Cuddlesboy his food and goes out, not caring the fact that he’s naked, with only a blanket around his body.

Their shack is in the middle of the forest and in the morning, you can hear the rustling of the trees, the chirp of birds and the river near there, it’s beautiful. A few days after Alistair gave them this shack, Anders had bought two chairs, just to place them behind the shack for Hawke and him to sit and listen and talk.

With Hawke here and Cuddlesboy now at his feet, he feels peaceful, serene.

“Hey, love,” Hawke says from behind him, kissing the top of his head. He’s wearing his pajama pants and has Anders’ in his other hand.

“How did you know I was here?” Anders asks.

“I followed Cuddles.” Hawke smiles, sitting in the empty chair and handing Anders the pants but he just places them on his lap.

They stay there for a while, not talking just… side by side. Cuddlesboy is on Hawke’s lap, he’s heavy as fuck but Hawke still thinks he’s a lap dog. It’s amazing and funny because he can barely see over Cuddles.

Anders snakes his hand out of the blanket and holds Hawke’s, who looks at him with this dreamy smile, he looks so beautiful.

“I want to stay here,” he tells Hawke.

“As long as you want, love,” Hawke replies.

“No…” Anders turns a little to his side, petting and kissing Cuddles before continuing, “I want to _stay_ here.”

“Oh.”

“I’m tired, Hawke... of running. I like staying here, I like the people, the forest, the shack, the air, the river, you here with me. I want to stay here.” He says a little more serious, trying to convey his feeling to Hawke.

“Then… we’ll stay,” he grabs Anders’ hand again and kisses the palm and then each finger, “I’ll talk to Alistair.” He closes his eyes and puts Anders’ hand on his cheek and moves it closer to his lips to kiss it one more time.

Anders smiles.

“I love you,” he says, Hawke looks up and smiles one more time.

“I love you, too, love.”

**Author's Note:**

> I like to think that after spending so much time together, Anders' "Love" stuck to Hawke so much that now he's the one who says it more! and Cuddlesboy IS a lap dog.... a huge ass one...............


End file.
